Apple has taken down the tarps covering the front of its soon-to-open Grand Central Terminal Store, revealing the entrance to one of its largest retail locations in the world.

The stairs leading up to the store were previously blocked off by a large black display with digital sign teasing the forthcoming grand opening, but now users can see the entrance way, complete with a glowing Apple logo, on the east balcony. The stairs leading to the Apple Store are above the entrance to tracks 100 through 117, as well as the dining concourse.

The new Apple store looks down on the main concourse and features the company's signature look of maple wood tables showcasing the company's products. The open area is lit by chandeliers hanging overhead.

The 23,000-square-foot store will be one of Apple's largest retail locations in the world. It sits in a prime location in Grand Central Terminal, though which an estimated 700,000 people pass every day.

Apple sent out a press release on Wednesday, announcing that the new Grand Central store will open at 10 a.m. this Friday, Dec. 9. It noted that the store overlooks the historic Main concourse from the East and North East balconies of Grand Central Terminal, and features two Genius Bars.

The store is staffed by 315 employees and features rooms dedicated to retail services, including Apple's largest Personal Setup area in the world. There's also a Personal Training room, where Mac owners can learn the basics or sign up for the $99 One to One program.

The Apple Store Grand Central will be open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Friday, Saturday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Even before its grand opening on Friday, the storefront has already generated controversy, as officials in New York have announced they are investigating the lease for the property that Apple negotiated with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The investigation was spurred by a New York Post article that revealed Apple is paying $60 per square foot for the property, compared to other tenants that pay more than $200 per square foot.

The MTA quickly fired back in a strongly worded statement, encouraging officials to "bring it on" and investigate Apple's Grand Central Terminal Lease. The MTA characterized the Post's report as "inaccurate," and revealed that Apple's lease will quadruple the rent coming in to the authority from $263,000 to $1.1 million.

Below are photos of Apple's new Grand Central Terminal Store, taken by Kim Bhasin of Business Insider, as well as AppleInsider readers Greg and Ryan.

I don't see much Apple had to built. The store it self looks awkward because it's just in a hallway, walkway though the terminal. Apple couldn't even put in their own lights and make some table lamps.

But remember there was a restaurant there. All that had to be taken out and remodeled.

Judging by the size of the dining area and quality of the restaurant that kitchen was huge. Then there is getting power outlets to every tablet from under the floor. That looks like marble to me, not a drop floor so unless they are handing cables from the ceiling or creating their own artificial floor using marble layover it looks like they would be altering blocks under the floor. Then there is the power grid that would need to be altered to deal with the needs. It all sounds like a major undertaking to me.

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But remember there was a restaurant there. All that had to be taken out and remodels. Judging by the size of the dining area and quality of the restaurant that kitchen was huge. Then there is getting power cables to every tablet from under the floor. That looks like marble to me, not a drop floor so unless they are handing cables from the ceiling or creating their own artifical floor it looks like they would be altering blocks under the floor. Then there is the power grid that would need to be altered to deal with the needs. It all sounds like a major undertaking to me.

Not to be outdone, Microsoft has announced it has signed a lease agreement to rent the Grand Central Terminal men's room for their Microsoft Store. "The Men's Room at the terminal will allow us to have a captive audience and to showcase our wares with similar valued crap," says Steve Ballmer.

Not to be outdone, Microsoft has announced it has signed a lease agreement to rent the Grand Central Terminal men's room for their Microsoft Store. "The Men's Room at the terminal will allow us to have a captive audience and to showcase our wares with similar valued crap," says Steve Ballmer.

In related news, not be outdone Michael Dell has inked a deal with the GCT to replace their current toilet paper with Streaks.

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Thanks for the images. That proves Apple is using the same floor-based power outlet model as in other stores. But I'd like to know how they did it. Is that floor the same that was there before, or just similar. Is there a step to get into the store proper?

Quote:

Originally Posted by OriginalG

Absolutely gorgeous!

How do they close the store? Is there some kind of barrier?

If it's not going to be a 24 hours store then I'd say they will have security inside 24 hours. I don't think it will be a problem until the Cloverfield monster causes widespread panic in which case all bets are off.

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Way to go conehead, joe. Did you think anyone would care about your opinion?
BTW, feel free to tell us which retail chain you've created which is more successful than Apple's.

I don't think used enough grey matter to note that the photo shows the back of the Genius Bar or some other area only used by Apple employees.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flaneur

I like that, "coneheadjoe," hope you don't mind if I borrow it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by anantksundaram

And I thought it was conradjoke all this time....... thanks for highlighting the correction.

Come on, guys! Those are technically personal attacks. Let people like ConradJoe and his ilk make such comments when they have no valid argument. We're intelligent enough that we don't have to stoop to that level.

PS: His 12 line signature is annoying, and it's not like posts anything though provoking. It's usually pathetic one word or line quips trying to get a negative reaction in order to jack the thread. I say we all create excessively long sigs until the admins finally put a maximum line level on them.

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This must be the loudest of all the Apple stores (if the audio on that video is to be belived). I would like to see Siri demoed in that place. Also couldn't the Apple employees get dressed for the press walk through? One of them was wearing sweatpants. The space is impressive but this would not be my first choice for where to buy my next iMac.

This must be the loudest of all the Apple stores (if the audio on that video is to be belived). I would like to see Siri demoed in that place. Also couldn't the Apple employees get dressed for the press walk through? One of them was wearing sweatpants. The space is impressive but this would not be my first choice for where to buy my next iMac.

It's a New York establishment - trust me, we deal with much louder things going on all the freak'n time.

This must be the loudest of all the Apple stores (if the audio on that video is to be belived). I would like to see Siri demoed in that place. Also couldn't the Apple employees get dressed for the press walk through? One of them was wearing sweatpants. The space is impressive but this would not be my first choice for where to buy my next iMac.

The Lincoln Center store is incredibly loud as well - maybe even louder because it's a more confined space. All hard surfaces, nothing to absorb the sound except other people. For all the applause the design of these stores receive, I think that's a flaw.

I had a hard time using Siri in the Lincoln Center store -- I had to cup my hands around the iPhone. Under the circumstances, Siri worked incredibly well - it only misunderstood a few things.

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From looking at the video, they seem to have done a good job replicating the stone work for the backslab of the Genius Bar and a few other places. And I see that they didn't seem to violate the previous covenants about there being no major signage in the main hall of GCT. I've had a hard time believing that this is truly one of the largest Apple stores because there isn't so much space on that level, but it looks like they're using a lot of previously hidden space, perhaps where the kitchen of the former restaurant was.

I say that you should lead by example and cut it down to one. Yours is equally annoying.

Do not reply when people post for effect. Some people like to be loud. They like attention. If they have nothing useful to say they just want to get noticed. It is childish and the best way to deal with it is to ignore. Like children. If they post intelligently, engage. Just like with children.
Remember that no argument can ever be won on a forum. But on a forum children can be ignored. I suspect that some of the more annoying and posters are pretty juvenile. If not in age then in mind.

Three words used here a lot should make their users think about their manhood: "meh," "underwhelmed" and "disappointed." I know I'm going against the flow here, but consider what these words say about YOU to others. They mean YOU did not get what YOU wanted, or what YOU were expecting. Consider that others may have no interest in you or your miserable expectations, or that your mother did not give you good enough birthday presents when you were little.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SolipsismX

Come on, guys! Those are technically personal attacks. Let people like ConradJoe and his ilk make such comments when they have no valid argument. We're intelligent enough that we don't have to stoop to that level.

You are technically right, of course, and I will take what you say under advisement, but it's a lot easier to rub his nose in it that to write the lecture above. And he's not even sincere in his limp-wristed "meh." He's just trolling for dollars. Why do I care? I lose it sometimes.

Do not reply when people post for effect. Some people like to be loud. They like attention. If they have nothing useful to say they just want to get noticed. It is childish and the best way to deal with it is to ignore. Like children. If they post intelligently, engage. Just like with children.
Remember that no argument can ever be won on a forum. But on a forum children can be ignored. I suspect that some of the more annoying and posters are pretty juvenile. If not in age then in mind.

Ok, ok, but he's not doing it out of childishness, but for mercenary reasons. You can't believe he's a genuine emo-troll, can you?

You are technically right, of course, and I will take what you say under advisement, but it's a lot easier to rub his nose in it that to write the lecture above. And he's not even sincere in his limp-wristed "meh." He's just trolling for dollars. Why do I care? I lose it sometimes.

There are more clever ways in which to execute an offense that don't resort to name calling or other ad hominem attacks that break the forums rules. Decimate their flawed argument, not them. You know you're effective when they call you a fanboy for having a balanced and objective viewpoint.

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I predict this site will be the location of the worlds largest "flash mob" smash and grab. If you are familiar with Grand Central, once you are outside, you are in the middle of a million people. Not to mention how many levels of trains and subways to make a getaway on.